Waterbury evening Democrat., 1887-12-05
CHRISTMAS IS COMING.

CHRlSTN0AS xS COUQ1N0s
 ssThe Fatherhood of God, the Brother hood of Man" was phrase somewhat flip pantly used in late election contest in 8 neighboring State and the poor man wept grateful tears as the words of sympathy were uttered by philosophers and priests. The phrase came to nothing; had not the first element of practical good il the the ory of the agitators. We suggest a better bond of brotherhood-on more in accord with the divine fatherhood-the brother hood of charity.
 Christmas is not quite three weeks off. Happily the people in this locality are, in the main, in position to enjoy the holy festival of the Nativity in that "peace and good willo which have been from the begin ming the doctrinal attributes of the season. Employment is extensive, wages compare lively good, contentment reigns in the workman's home and Merry Christmas will be one of the rewards of his honest in- dustry. But ssthe poor we have always with us," and besides the professional pau per, the aged, the disabled, the sickness stricken, there are numbers of industrl- ously inclined workers who can find no field for their industry; the out of door employ ments are reduced if not wholly abandoned in the winter time. The results of these are cheerless dwellings, scant raiment, freless hearths, want and wretchedness in every form.
 Now what more fitting as one of ssour first words" than an appeal, founded on the same fatherhood of God and brotherhood of man, of which we have written, for the right of the industrious workman to be re- membered in period of enforced idleness.
 Christmas is but three weeks off There is time enough, but nothing to spare, for the enjoyment of the festival. The shop windows of the city are already decked with the seasons appropriate goods. Soon the butchers stalls and fruiterers' stands and the places otherwise set apart for the display of articles of luxury or necessity will present their attractions. All these will be good to look at for those 1Xhal sess the means of gratif . castes of inclinations by purchase; but let us think of the Tantalus experience of those who can only gaze and grow sadder in the prospect; some in the pain of an enduring poverty and some-not few-in contemplation of altered times, of the days when they too need not only view but purchase and pos sess. This last prospect is indeed the Sorrows Grown of Sorrows" of which the poet sung; the remembrance of happy times is an intensifcation of the present misery.
 We'll, in preparation for the holy time the well-to-do can prepare also an inten- si6cation of their own happiness. While looking out for the beautifully bound vol tune, or rich piece of jewelry, or expensive article of vertu as 8 Christmas gift to friends, they might remember that not 8 stone's-throw from their luxurious resi- dences there are the abodes of poverty, where in squalor and in rags and wretch edness-in hunger and in cold-freless by day and without bed or bed covering at night-there are human beings like them selves-with immortal souls like their own included in the great scheme of salvation which the Nativity inaugurated. And l then these favored ones might remember, 1 too, that there is wooden >draper's near at hand, and coal and wood yard round the corner-the butchers and bakers sugges
 tion will come later on; even now it would not be untimely-and that if need be a little retrenchment in their own supplies might serve to send supplies to the poor, and thus shed peace and give proof of good ! will to Christs little ones.
 We are not indulging in homilies ot Christian duty-we merely indicate di- rection for true human charity. The win ter has already given foretaste of rigors to come: hunger is always present in the hoy els of the poor; and there will be no greater contributory to Christmas enjoyment than the self-approving consciousness that you have begun early to provide some Christ mas alleviation of the woes and wants of Gods poor.